


The Cat and the Jackdaw

by Squid_Ink



Series: The Eagle and the Cross [54]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Cats, Gen, Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-16 23:12:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8121316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squid_Ink/pseuds/Squid_Ink
Summary: Edward finds a kitten on a raft and decides to keep it.





	

She didn't like the sea. It was much too big, much too wet, and it tasted horrible whenever she tried to drink it. The fish in the sea terrified her, blowing spray up at her as they nudged the little raft she was one. She meowed loudly, curling her stubby fluffy tail around her tiny little paws. She looked at the man on the raft, he never moved. He stopped moving some time ago, and death-stink came from him. _He smells just like Mama_ , she thought as she laid her ears back and gave a little hiss, her needle sharp milk-teeth gleaming pearly white in the Caribbean sun.

When her tummy got empty, she began to gnaw on the man. Eating the soft parts of him first, but she didn't like the taste and only took enough bites to keep the hunger away. She'd meow at any ship that sailed by, but the men on the ship never paid any attention to her. When it rained she'd lap at the puddles that appeared on the raft. The rain water was sweet. Sometimes a school of small fish would come and she'd try to fish one out from the ocean, but her hunting was unsuccessful, the man was starting to taste too funny so she stopped eating him.

She forgot how many days she was on the raft, floating among the endless waves when a ship finally stopped and hauled her little raft aboard. The men on board came to see her and the dead man. They muttered to each other in their strange tongue, tossing the man back over the side to the fish they called sharks. She had taken the first chance she got to bolt for the shadows, stubby little tail fluffed up. There she stayed huddled between two cool barrels. One of the barrels dripped, she sniffed it, smelling water and lapped at the drip until her thirst was quenched.

She jumped when footsteps came thumping over to her hiding spot, a big man with dark skin reached down for one of the barrels. She arched up, hissing as loudly as she could and swatted at his hand. He yelped, shaking his hand before peering over the barrels to see her. She hissed again, fluffing up her fur. Mama told her that if she made herself look big and scary, she'll be left alone. "What are ya doin' here?" the dark skinned man asked as he reached down for her. She hissed again, growling and swatted at him, but he avoided her paw and grabbed her by her scruff. She curled up, still growling as she looked at the big man that had caught her.

"Whatcha got there, Áddie?" another man asked. His hair was yellow like the sun with nut brown skin. His eyes reminded her of water.

"Found dis liddle stow-away," the man said. "She got me good."

The sun-haired man cooed, a smiling breaking across his face. "A kitty," he said, reaching for her. She growled low, for he smelled of blood and death, she hissed when he tried to grab her, but he ignored her warning and cupped her bottom as the big man handed her over. She chomped on the sun-haired man's thumb. "Ow, damn bloody cat," he growled, "don't do that." He bopped her swift and firm on the head. She let go, looking up at him. "See, I don't mean to hurt you," he said and began to pet her. It felt nice, like Mama's tongue when Mama gave her a bath. She began to purr, and lick at the wound she gave the man.

"What are ya gonna do with it, Edward?" the big man asked.

"Keep…" Edward stopped and lifted up her tail, "her," he said. She snorted, curling her tail around her tightly. Of course she was a little queen! She had four brothers, and they were all stupid toms. Mama says queens were the smartest. She mewed. "See, Áddie! She wants to stay," Edward said. "Plus she'll keep the rats away from the cargo," he added. "C'mon princess, let's get you some fish and water, betcha starving only having that dead tar for company. And you're such a wee thing too."

"Edward," the big man called, Edward turned and looked at him. "What are you gonna name her?"

"Um," Edward looked at her. Self-conscious she licked her coat, tasting salt on her fur, oh how she wished Mama was still here to lick her coat clean. She hoped the man didn't mind the orange splotches, the white socks and spot over her left eye, the notch in her ear from her older sister (she was form Mama's last litter), and the black blotches. She wasn't the prettiest thing, but the dead man had loved her. She purred loudly, knowing men liked it when she purred. "I do actually," he said and walked off.

She had a name now, and a home, this strange thing that men called a ship. The ship had a name too, _Jackdaw_ , and her duty was to keep the mice and rats away. She took great pride in keeping the keeping the mice and rats away from the items the men called cargo. All the men on the _Jackdaw_ liked her, and would give her milk or bits of fish, and she let them pet her and she purr for them. But her favorite spot on the ship was the captain's cabin. That is where she spent most of her days, that was where she had her kittens. Edward gave her kittens away when she weaned them. She didn't mind too much, she liked it best when it was just her and him.

Like tonight. She had sat down in front of the door and meowed until one of the sailors opened it for her. She thrilled a thank you, tail flicking high into the air and she wandered it. Edward was curled up in his bed, a candle glowing. He was staring at paper with strange scribbles on it. He told her it was a book and that he was reading. She gave him a slow blink, but had no idea what the purpose was of such activity. Humans, she determined, are very strange. She meowed until he looked at her. "Hello lovely," he said and patted his stomach. "C'mon, up." She trilled and hopped up onto his stomach, curling up, tail covering her nose.

She purred. He still smelled of blood and death, but he also smelled of salt and rum. The smells were home. His calloused hand gentle stroked her fur from head to tail. She stretched, yawning, taking comfort in his contact. "Good girl," he said, "Nermallion."

**Author's Note:**

> Assassin's Creed (c) Ubisoft  
> I wanted Edward to have a cat on the Jackdaw.
> 
> Nermallion from Tumblr gave me permission to name the cat after her.
> 
> I wrote in the cat's POV because I didn't know how to do it from Edward's. I like it better like this. :3
> 
> Save an author; leave a review.


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